ICE Air Expands Mesa Hub For Deportation Flights; Charter Costs Hit Up To $26K An Hour

ICE details its nationwide deportation flight program, highlighting Mesa, AZ as a key hub coordinating charter and commercial removals and daily transfer missions. The agency outlines staffing, medical screening, and welfare protocols, plus aircraft types and costs—daily charters average $8,577 per flight hour and special high‑risk charters can reach $26,795. Recent reporting ties this hub to an accelerating increase in ICE Air operations and raises oversight questions about a nearby temporary holding facility and proposals to expand fleet capacity.